Whether you drive a miniature horse in a light horse cart or a draft horse in a heavy wagon, a properly fitting horse harness is essential for comfort, safety, and performance.
A harness that rubs, pinches, or restricts your horse can quickly turn a pleasant drive into a frustrating or even dangerous experience.
At Alberta Carriage Supply, we often see the same fit problems come up — whether with carriage-style harness (breast collar harness) or the more traditional hame and collar harness used for heavy pulling. Here’s what to watch for and how to fix it.
Carriage-Style (Breast Collar) Harness Problems
Carriage harnesses are popular for pleasure driving, training, and lighter work. While lighter and more flexible, they still need careful adjustment.
1. Breast Collar Too Low or Too High
- Too Low: Rubs on shoulders, making movement difficult or uncomfortable.
- Too High: Rubs against the windpipe and can restrict shoulder movement.
Fix: Position the breast collar across the chest, resting in the “sweet spot” above the point of shoulder and below the windpipe, or use a deep V breast collar.
2. Saddle (Backpad) Pressure
If the saddle tips forward or backward, it can dig into the withers or loins.
Overly tight girths cause rubbing behind the elbows.
Fix: Adjust so the saddle distributes weight evenly. Use pads if necessary, especially on horses with prominent withers, or use a spine relief gig saddle & pad.
3. Breeching Too Loose or Too Tight
- Too Loose: Cart may slide forward into the horse going downhill.
- Too Tight: Restricts hindquarter movement, making your horse unwilling to stride out.
Fix: Breeching should engage when the cart pushes forward but not restrict normal motion. A hand’s width is a good guideline.
Hame & Collar Harness Problems
Traditional hame and collar harnesses are designed for horses pulling heavier loads, such as forecarts, sleds, or farm equipment. They spread the weight more evenly but bring their own fit challenges.
1. Collar Too Big or Too Small
- Too Small: Pinches at the sides of the neck, creating discomfort & sores.
- Too Large: Puts load on the point of shoulder, rubbing the shoulders.
Fix: The collar should fit snugly to the horse’s neck, with a flat hand comfortably between the collar and the horse at the throat. Healing or collar pads can be used to make a comfortable fit.
2. Hames Not Matching the Collar
- Ill-fitted hames create uneven pressure, leading to rubbing and loss of pulling power.
- Hames that are too loose can shift, while too tight can pinch at the collar top or bottom.
Fix: Make sure your hames fit the collar, then adjust them so they sit evenly, with no gaps between the hame and collar. Tighten hame straps enough to keep them in place without distortion.
3. Traces/Tugs Misaligned
If traces are too high or low, the horse pulls inefficiently and may strain shoulders or neck.
Fix: Adjust the singletree or trace length so that the line of draft is 90 degrees straight from the horse’s shoulder to the load.
General Signs of Poor Harness Fit
- Hair loss or white hairs at pressure points
- Rub marks on shoulders, withers, or flanks
- Reluctance to step into the shafts or pull forward
- Head tossing, tail swishing, or balking
If you see these, don’t ignore them — your horse is trying to tell you something is wrong.
Final Thoughts
Harness fit is not one-size-fits-all. Every horse has unique conformation, and small adjustments can make a big difference in comfort and performance.
Whether you’re driving a miniature horse, Haflinger, cob, or draft horse, proper fit keeps your horse happy and safe.
At Alberta Carriage Supply, we specialize in both carriage-style harnesses and hame & collar harnesses and can help you find the right size, fit, and adjustments.
A well-fitted horse harness is the foundation of safe and enjoyable driving — because when your horse feels good, you both enjoy the ride.